Lisa Thompson-Tullis, of Scarning, stole savings belonging to seven elderly residents at Hethersett Hall during a two-year period and also ripped off the owner of the home.

An ex-care home manager who fleeced elderly residents and her employers out of more than £30,000 was jailed for 12 months today.

Lisa Thompson-Tullis, of Scarning, stole savings belonging to seven elderly residents at Hethersett Hall during a two-year period and also ripped off the owner of the home.

She pleaded guilty to 12 offences of theft at an earlier hearing at Norwich Crown Court.

Thompson-Tullis was general manager at the care home in Norwich Road, Hethersett, from June 2005 until she was dismissed in October last year.

Action was taken after Barchester Healthcare found some financial irregularities within its own accounts and then made some inquiries with the residents.

Because of these inquiries she was dismissed and charged on September 5.

The company says it has since brought in changes to ensure the thefts could not happen again and has pledged to refund the residents.

Norwich Crown Court today heard the 40-year-old mother-of-two, who was of previous good character, was remorseful and was in debt when she stole the money.

Judge Paul Downes jailed Thompson-Tullis for 12 months and told her: “This was a systematic fraud of vulnerable people. It really was a breach of trust. You were employed there to assist, not to steal. What you did was to steal from vulnerable elderly people. This was not a case of small amounts either. The total is remarkable.”